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George Henry Boker
|birth_place = Philadelphia, PA |death_date = January |death_place = Philadelphia, PA |nationality = American |occupation = poet, playwright, diplomat }} George Henry Boker (October 6, 1823 - January 2, 1890) was an American poet, playwright, and diplomat.George Henry Boker, NNDB, Soylent Communications. Web, Apr. 6, 2013. Life Overview Boker was in the American Diplomatic Service. Among his dramas, generally tragedies, are Anne Boleyn, The Betrothed, and Francesca da Rimini, and among his books of poetry, Street Lyrics, Königsmark, and The Book of the Dead. His dramas combine poetic merit with adaptability for acting.John William Cousin, "Boker, George Henry," A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature, 1910, 40. Web, Dec. 15, 2017. Youth and education Boker was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father was Charles S. Boker, a wealthy banker, whose financial expertness weathered the Girard National Bank through the panic years of 1838-40, and whose honor, impugned after his 1857 death, was defended many years later by his son in The Book of the Dead. Charles Boker was also a director of the Mechanics National Bank. George was brought up in an atmosphere of ease and refinement, receiving his preparatory education in private schools, and entering Princeton in 1840. While there he helped found, and was 1st editor of, the college literary magazine, the Nassau Monthly. ''He was left in easy circumstances, and was able to devote his time to literature, as well as boxing and dancing. Charles Godfrey Leland, a relative, recounted: :"As a mere schoolboy, Boker's knowledge of poetry was remarkable. I can remember that he even at nine years of age manifested that wonderful gift that caused him many years after to be characterized by some great actor--I think it was Forrest--as the best reader in America.... While at college ... Shakespeare and Byron were his favorites. He used to quiz me sometimes for my predilections for Wordsworth and Coleridge. We both loved Shelly passionately." Boker graduated from Princeton in 1842. His marriage to Julia Riggs, of Maryland, followed shortly after, while he was studying law, a profession which was to serve him in good stead during his diplomatic years, but which he gave up for the stronger pull of poetry. Literary recognition In 1848 his debut volume of verse, ''The Lessons of Life, and other poems, was published. The same year, he met Bayard Taylor and Richard Henry Stoddard, who would become long-lasting friends. This group of young men supported and encouraged each other in the face of official journalistic criticism. Launched in the literary life, Boker began to write assiduously. His 1st play, Calaynos, went into 2 editions during 1848, and the following year was played by Samuel Phelps at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London, May 10. This tragedy is notable for its depiction of the racial issues between the Spanish and the Moors. The next to be staged was a comedy, The Betrothal (1850). Tragedies from this time are Anne Boleyn (1850), Francesco da Rimini (1853), and Leonor de Guzman (1853). The American Civil War not only turned Boker's pen to the Union Cause, but changed him politically from a Democrat to a staunch Republican. In fact, his name is closely interwoven with the rehabilitation of the Republican party in Philadelphia. His collection Poems of the War was issued in 1864. In the 1860s, the Union League Club was founded, with Boker as the leading spirit; through his efforts the war earnestness of the city was concentrated here; from 1863-71 he served as its secretary; from 1879-84 as its President. But Boker's thoughts were also concerned with poetry. In 1869, Boker issued Königsmark: The legend of the hounds and other poems, and this ended his dramatic career until his return from abroad. Diplomatic activities President Ulysses S. Grant sent Boker to Constantinople, as U.S. Minister (his appointment dated November 3, 1871) -- an honor undoubtedly bestowed in recognition of his national service. Here he remained four years, "and during that time secured the redress for wrongs done American subjects by the Syrians, and successfully negotiated two treaties, one having reference to the extradition of criminals, and the other to the naturalization of subjects of little power in the dominions of the other." Boker's initial enthusiasm for Turkish scenery and culture was unbounded, but after a time, his ignorance of the tongue, and distrust of interpreters, contributed to his frustration. By the time his Government was ready to transfer him to another post he was glad to leave Turkey. Despite this, he had developed his diplomatic skills and shown a talent for cultivating personal contacts. In 1875 he was transferred to Russia, which was considered a more prestigious position. The new political administration resulting from the 1876 American election viewed Boker unfavorably. Despite support from Emperor Alexander II of Russia, Boker was recalled in 1878. Later years On January 15, 1878, Boker withdrew from diplomatic life, returning to the United States. At this time he was depressed, feeling that both his literary and diplomatic careers had been failures. In 1882 Lawrence Barrett mounted a revival of Francesca da Rimini. This brought more public interest in Boker and his other work, which necessitated the reprinting of several of his books. His home in Philadelphia—one of the literary centres of the time,--bore traces of his Turkish stay—carpets brought from Constantinople, Arabic designs on the draperies, and rich Eastern colours in the tapestried chairs. Boker was also a director of the Mechanics National Bank of Philadelphia for several years later in his life. Boker died in Philadelphia, January 2, 1890. He is buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia.George Henry Boker, Find a Grave. Web, Apr. 6, 2013. Writing Plays Francesca da Rimini, (1853) is his most well-remembered play. It is a verse tragedy based on the story of Paolo and Francesca from the 5th canto of [[The Divine Comedy|Dante's Inferno]]. During this time, in correspondence with his friends, Boker was determining to himself the distinction between poetic and dramatic style. But Boker was not wholly wed to theatrical demands; he still approached the stage in the spirit of the poet who was torn between loyalty to poetic indirectness, and the necessity of direct dialogue. Boker published the original version, called the reading version, but used an acting version for the stage which had more directness and dramatic flow. This allowed for a compromise between the poet of the reading version and the demands of the theatre. Sonnets In addition to the works already mentioned, Boker also wrote hundreds of sonnets. A collection of these, Sequence on Profane Love, was discovered in manuscript after his death, and published in 1927. He has been compared to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow as one of the premier American sonnet writers. Publications Poetry *''The Lesson of Life, and other poems''. Philadelphia: G.S. Appleton, 1848. *''The Podesta's Daughter, and other miscellaneous poems. Philadelphia: A. Hart, 1852. *Poems of the War. 1864; New York: Arno Press, 1972. *Our Heroic Themes: A poem read before the Phi Beta Kappa Society of Harvard University, July 20, 1865. Boston: Ticknor & Fields, 1865; Alexandria, VA: Chadwyck-Healey Inc., 1996.. *''Tardy George. New York: privately printed, 1865. *''Konigsmark: The legend of the hounds, and other poems. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1869. *The Book of the Dead. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1882. *Sonnets: A sequence on profane love'' (edited by Edward Sculley Bradley). Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1929. Plays *''Calaynos: A tragedy. Philadelphia: E.H. Butler, 1848. *Anne Boleyn: A tragedy. Philadelphia: A. Hart, 1850. *Francesco da Rimini: A tragedy. San Francisco, CA: Dramatic Publishing Co., 1901. *''Nydia: A tragic play (edited by Edward Sculley Bradley). Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1929. *''Glaucus and other plays. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1940; Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1963. Collected editions *Plays and Poems. Boston: Ticknor & Fields, 1856; Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1869. New York: AMS Press, 1967. [http://websteder.archive.org/details/playsandpoems01bokerich ''Volume I], Volume II Execept where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:George Henry Boker, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Apr. 6, 2013. Plays * Francesca da Rimini See also * List of U.S. poets * List of English-language playwrights References External links ;Poems *Untitled Poem *"The Black Regiment" *George Henry Boker in An American Anthology 1787-1900: "A Ballad for Sir John Franklin," "Dirge for a Soldier," "The Ferry," "To England," "To My Lady" *George Henry Boker 1823-1890 at the Poetry Foundation *Boker, George Henry (1823-1890) at Representative Poetry Online *George Henry Boker at Poets' Corner (website) *George Henry Boker (1823-1890) at Sonnet Central *George Henry Boker at PoemHunter (328 poems) ;Books * *Works by George Henry Boker at Internet Archive *George Henry Boker at Amazon.com ;About *About George Henry Boker at Poetry and Music of the War Between the States. *George Henry Boker at NNDB. *George Henry Boker in Nineteenth-Century Literary Criticism. *Boker, George Henry at the Pennsylvania Center for the Book. *George Henry Boker at Find a Grave Category:1823 births Category:1890 deaths Category:United States ambassadors to Turkey Category:United States ambassadors to Russia Category:American dramatists and playwrights Category:American diplomats Category:Pennsylvania Republicans Category:Princeton College alumni Category:People from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Category:People of the American Civil War Category:Members of The Philadelphia Club Category:19th-century poets Category:American poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets Category:Sonneteers